Blizzard sues Turtle WoW server operators for unauthorized use of company art, code, and related materials

In the ever-evolving world of gaming, several significant developments are unfolding.

Firstly, the Diablo franchise has seen a shift as over 450 workers have banded together to form a union, citing numerous issues within their organisation. This unionisation follows in the footsteps of several other Blizzard teams, including the World of Warcraft and Overwatch 2 development teams. The unionisation efforts are in response to repeated waves of layoffs at Microsoft.

Meanwhile, in the realm of fan-made expansions, Mysteries of Azeroth, a fan-made expansion story for World of Warcraft Vanilla, is making waves. This expansion story explores the original lore of the game, eschewing changes introduced through The Burning Crusade expansion in 2007.

The developers behind Mysteries of Azeroth, the original Turtle WoW developers, have announced the project's revamped version, Turtle WoW 2.0. Scheduled for release in 2026, Turtle WoW 2.0 will be rebuilt in Epic’s Unreal Engine 5, offering improved visual effects and compatibility with a legacy version maintaining the older look for those who prefer it.

Turtle WoW, which first launched in 2018, has expanded with additional servers over the years to accommodate more players in different regions. In August 2021, Turtle WoW reached a peak of over 44,000 concurrent players across all servers.

As for the official World of Warcraft universe, Blizzard Entertainment has announced the next expansion, titled "World of Warcraft: Midnight." This expansion will continue the Worldsoul Saga narrative, which began with 2024's expansion, The War Within. Notably, World of Warcraft: Midnight will introduce the long-requested Player Housing feature, allowing players to decorate their own homes in Azeroth.

Details about World of Warcraft: Midnight were shared during Gamescom 2025, including the introduction of a new race called the Haranir. The release date for World of Warcraft: Midnight is not specified yet, but it is currently slated to launch before June 30, 2026.

However, controversy surrounds another group of servers hosting fan-developed mods and updates for World of Warcraft, including Mysteries of Azeroth. Blizzard Entertainment is filing a lawsuit against the owners of Turtle WoW, alleging that the developers are using Blizzard's artwork, trademarks, and official code in their servers. A Blizzard spokesperson stated that the company takes seriously its responsibility to protect the integrity of its work and that the pirate server illegally uses Blizzard’s code, assets, and trademarks to market an unprotected experience.

In contrast, the developers of Turtle WoW accept but do not require donations for players to access Mysteries of Azeroth. The developers have also released numerous updates for Mysteries of Azeroth and plan to release an updated version, Turtle WoW 2.0, with improved visuals and higher PC requirements.

Blizzard Entertainment launched World of Warcraft: Classic in 2019, providing an official version of the original game experience with updates for the original expansions. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these developments unfold.